2 (small) power heads to create water flow -one across open space and one to push water through driftwood "maze"

Temp @ 78 F (~26 C) which seems to suit all these species

Emperor double biowheel filter (400 GPH)

small air pump (cause my clowns like to swim against the bubbles)

knowing that the clowns will outgrow this tank, I would like to set this up so it will suit the other loaches a bit more till I can up the tank size and rehouse my clowns (and any others that grow too large for this tank)

I may add my featherfin cat (5") as he seems unhappy in his current tank (posssibly another one to keep him company) and a few Corries

If anyone has any input I'd love to hear it as I would like to make this very comfortable and natural for my fish.

yeah... I know about the clowns... this is gonna be a temporary tank until I can get that 200+ gallon... (this is kinda like a beta version, so I can work out speciffics in a smaller area.... I hate having to strip tanks down w/ fish in them to re setup their habitat [actually I love it, it's the most fun u can have, I just don't have too much time for mistakes anymore])

loaches online is a great site, it's where I've been researching mainly.

I have to say that I would probably give my clowns to my LFS, except I can practically guarantee that they will go to someone who has a smaller tank than I do, who knows less about them.. it's a real shame that these fish are so readily available to hobbyists (I remember being sold one when I was 7 or 8 and I kept him in a 10 gal w/ all sorts of tankmates)

thanks for the heads up though Bob...

oh... the zebra loaches look nice... -I always thought that botia modesta were dyed... I see blue and purple ones a lot

is there anything u would add? other plant specie besides anubias? I am currently cultivating a lava rock w/ java moss, I'd like to add that so it can eventually take over. I'm also looking for an online plant retailer so if u have any experience w/ any, I'd love to know if it was good/bad and what site.

If you look at Zebra Loaches, they look like they would be at home in fast flowing streams, and that is excactly where they come from, so the plan for lots of water movement sounds OK. but two powerheads, and a filter in a 46g may be a bit much.

Gravel or rounded stones should be fine, but you will have trouble getting sand to stay on top, with the current the sand will just fall into the gaps and get lost. Maybe think about using a seperator so you can have sandy and gravely areas. You do want rock caves or just rocks, Zebras etc, like looking round the base of rocks, and sheltering behind them etc. They will often just find a rock to sit on (Yes they do).

I don't think low light is a particular issue. It doesn't seem to worry ours.

Got to admit if I was setting up a Loach tank, I would stick with Loaches and other Asian fish rather than adding Cories etc.

One last thing (Sorry about this), Your Clowns may never outgrow your tank, they will stop growing long before this, as they will become stunted, and this isn't good for the fish or any other fish in the tank. I would re-home them now, then set up a great home for smaller Loaches.

If you look at Zebra Loaches, they look like they would be at home in fast flowing streams, and that is excactly where they come from, so the plan for lots of water movement sounds OK. but two powerheads, and a filter in a 46g may be a bit much.

the power heads I was looking at pump 225gph -they would come from the side while the filter pumps 400gph but goes past a bio wheel and doesn't seem to cause too much current...

Bob on Stronsay wrote:

Gravel or rounded stones should be fine, but you will have trouble getting sand to stay on top, with the current the sand will just fall into the gaps and get lost. Maybe think about using a seperator so you can have sandy and gravely areas.

good point about the sand... maybe I can keep the sand in an isolated place like the caves... I kinda figured that if I got heavy enough sand (or fine enough gravel) and put enough in, it would "cement" the gravel together. -which doesn't seem to matter as all the anubias would be attached to wood/rock...

Bob on Stronsay wrote:

You do want rock caves or just rocks, Zebras etc, like looking round the base of rocks, and sheltering behind them etc. They will often just find a rock to sit on (Yes they do).

cool... I've rid most of my tanks of larger rock structures and now I have a boat-load of paper-weights lying around...

Bob on Stronsay wrote:

I don't think low light is a particular issue. It doesn't seem to worry ours.

this is more of a cash issue (my light fixture broke when I moved)

Bob on Stronsay wrote:

Got to admit if I was setting up a Loach tank, I would stick with Loaches and other Asian fish rather than adding Cories etc.

the catfish is a temporary thing... I think your right about not mixing it though... can u think of a good "top" fish for the tank? -I happen to be curious about darios particularly the bengals (from Inia-which is at least next to china)

Bob on Stronsay wrote:

One last thing (Sorry about this), Your Clowns may never outgrow your tank, they will stop growing long before this, as they will become stunted, and this isn't good for the fish or any other fish in the tank. I would re-home them now, then set up a great home for smaller Loaches.

like I said... they've probably got a better chance w/ me than in some kids goldfish bowl... in american (at least east coast) fish stores you'll see small sale tanks with anywhere from 45 to 100 clown loaches darting about... even the lfs' that I like (that take care of their fish) will have 35 of them in a 15 gallon tank one week, I'll go back the next week and they'll be sold out... I don't think that many people have adequate setups or even know anything about them... I could place them in my favorite lfs' "retirement"-"tank" which is an 8'x4'x1' open topped plant sale display (I'm not even sure if it's filtered)... but I'd say they wouldn't be any better off... so... I'm keeping them. when I can, I will give them a better home...

I think that I am leaning more towards burmese border loaches, hillstreams and kuhlis.... that way I have 3 different basic shapes of the fish.. although I do like the zebras and Dwarf Loaches (Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki) but they seem rare